Ophthalmic surgery saves and improves the vision of tens of thousands of patients every year. However, given the sensitivity of vision to even small changes in the eye and the minute and delicate nature of many eye structures, ophthalmic surgery is difficult to perform and the reduction of even minor or uncommon surgical errors or modest improvements in accuracy of surgical techniques can make an enormous difference in the patient's vision after the surgery.
Ophthalmic surgery is surgery performed on the eye or any part of the eye. Ophthalmic surgery is regularly performed to repair retinal defects, repair eye muscles, remove cataracts or cancer, or to restore or improve vision. During ophthalmic surgery, it is often useful to visualize the vitreous, either to allow its removal or for other reasons. The vitreous is a gel-like substance located in the eye, behind the lens and in front of the retina, which is portion of the eye that contains photoreceptors sensitive to light. The vitreous is thus very transparent and colorless to allow light to pass largely unimpeded to the retina. The vitreous is mostly composed of water and normally contains no blood vessels, allowing it to be transparent and colorless. Although these properties are excellent for the normal functions of the vitreous, they make it very hard to see during ophthalmic surgery.